THE Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) have announced a special deal for the Cheltenham Festival whereby racegoers can visit any dog track for free if they download the voucher from their website.

Oxford will be giving free entrance to punters on Thursday, March 18 to anyone showing their Cheltenham racecard or badge.

Meanwhile, Barry Faulkner has been appointed chief executive of the GBGB.

Faulkner, a senior executive of both the Association of British Bookmakers and Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services, is expected to join on June 1.

  • THE Tony Magnasco kennel, in great form at the moment, unleashed another good prospect when leading owner Max Picinelli’s Culleen Lorian impressed with a superb 26.99secs.

Picinelli has brought two greyhounds over from Hungary along with their trainer with the Derby in mind.

They are Lyreen Mover, winner of the European Derby and Moonlight Hunter, who landed the European Select Stakes. They will be kenneled with Magnasco.

  • NICK Colton’s Shelbourne Veva has whelped a litter to former Oxford A1 dog Heaslips Hawk.

The two dogs and six bitches are now ten weeks old.

  • THE Angie Kibble-trained Hillcross Orion warmed up for an open race campaign with a 15.04 two bender following his winter break.
  • IT’S good to see the staying strength at Oxford Stadium has improved with 61 now eligible for the 595m trip.
  • WITH Reading and Coventry already closed, the focus is now on former GRA south coast venue Portsmouth.

They will know their fate next week.